Mofongo Recipe (with Sautéed Shrimp)

This Mofongo Recipe is made with fried and mashed plantains served with juicy shrimp sautéed in sofrito. This rich, savory Puerto Rican staple is bursting with Caribbean flavor and is ready in just 40 minutes!

For more international recipes, try my delicious Pupusa Recipe and Beef Birria QuesaTacos con Consomé next.

Jump to:

• Why We Love This Mofongo Recipe:
• What is Mofongo?
• The History of Mofongo
• Variations of Mofongo
• Ingredients You Need
• Instructions to make this Mofongo Recipe with Shrimp:
• Alternatives and Variations:
• Pro-Tips:
• Storing and Reheating:
• FAQ:
• 📖 Recipe
• Be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook when you make this recipe! I would love to see your creation, and give you a shoutout!

In 2023, the theme of Black History Month is Black Resistance and Eat the Culture is recognizing the remarkable and, frankly, underrated resistance of our ancestors in bringing culinary traditions across the Atlantic to shape the vibrance of Black cuisine that we know and love today.

They physically and mentally carried African foodways across the deadly Middle Passage to pass down through generations. This year’s Black History Month Virtual Potluck traces popular dishes of the Diaspora from their West African roots to North America and beyond. 

Today I am teaching you how to make mofongo, and encourage you to follow the story of this Plantain Fufu as well!

Share these recipes with your friends and loved ones and follow each participant by using the hashtag #BHMVP2023 on Instagram.

Plantains are the base of this easy mofongo recipe. It is a super flavorful, hearty dish that can be a meal all on its own. But adding sofrito, a tomato based sauce, and succulent sauteed shrimp makes this the best mofongo by far!

Why We Love This Mofongo Recipe:

Easy! It is so simple to make this. Fry plantains, season then mash them with a few extra ingredients in order to create delicious mofongo.

Authentic! This recipe is full of bold Caribbean flavor that stays true to this popular island dish.

Versatile! Serve mofongo with a variety of meats, seafood, or veggies. Enjoy it as a side or main dish.

What is Mofongo?

Mofongo is a traditional Puerto Rican and Dominican Republic dish made of fried and mashed green plantains. The plantain mash is combined with crushed garlic, salt and pork rinds.

Serve it with a sauce or chicken broth in order to further enhance the flavor and moisture. Or it can be eaten as a sort of side dish to accompany your favorite protein.

The History of Mofongo

Mofongo was introduced to the islands by way of West and Central African enslaved people. It is similar to fufu (sometimes referred to as foo foo) which is pounded yams. Mofongo contains a mashed up starchy base of green plantains.

Variations of Mofongo

Over the years, it has evolved into a unique dish that each island has put their own spin on.

• Cuba: This mofongo (also known as fufu de plátano) includes boiled plantains. It is softer than Puerto Rican or Dominican mofongo and more closely resembles mashed potatoes in shape.
• The Dominican Republic: This mofongo (also known as mangú) uses roasted or boiled plantains. Although this version is dryer than Puerto Rican mofongo, it has a much lower fat content.
• Puerto Rico: The most commonly served mofongo (even in other countries!). It is the inspiration for my own mofongo recipe. It is fried and contains chicharrones (pork rinds) and garlic.

Ingredients You Need

Mofongo

• Plantains: This main ingredient should be green, unripe, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks.
• Vegetable oil: For frying.
• Pork cracklings (chicharrones or pork rinds): This crispy pork skin adds a pop of savory flavor. Use chopped.
• Garlic cloves: Use fresh garlic for the best flavor. Use minced.
• Salt: Use more or less to taste.

Shrimp

Mofongo with shrimp, also known as mofongo con camarones, is a delicious variation on the original recipe.

• Olive oil: cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil is best.
• Shrimp: shell removed and shrimp deveined.
• Sazon seasoning: grab this seasoning in your international grocery aisle.
• Garlic powder
• Black pepper
• Sofrito: grab the recipe here
• Heavy cream: this can be omitted, but is highly recommended to add a nice creaminess.

Instructions to make this Mofongo Recipe with Shrimp:

Prepare Plantains

Pour the vegetable oil into a deep skillet, and heat it up over medium heat until it reaches 350°F. Peel the skin off of the plantains, and cut them into large chunks, about 1 inch each. 

Fry Plantains

Gently place the plantain slices into the hot oil. Fry them in batches if needed so that you do not overcrowd the pan. 

Fry the plantains on each side for about 5 minutes. Turn them frequently so that they do not burn. Once they are golden brown, remove them from the oil and set them aside on a bed of paper towels to drain the excess oil.

Combine and Mash Ingredients

Add the cloves of garlic and the salt into a mortar and pestle. If you do not have that, you can use a potato masher instead. Crush the garlic and salt together in a large mortar until you get a garlic paste. Now add in the plantains (a few at a time) and mash them together with the garlic mixture.

Place the pork rinds into the plantain mixture, and continue to crush them in with the pestle until everything is combined. 

Shape and Add Toppings

The mofongo (plantain mash), should be mashed-up until it is pretty dense. Remove it from the mortar and shape them into 4 separate balls or mold them into the shape of the mortar. Enjoy with your favorite protein or broth, or follow the instructions below to make the sauteed shrimp.

Enjoy with your favorite protein or broth, or follow the instructions below to make the sautéed shrimp.

Sauteed Shrimp

Preheat olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Then place the cleaned shrimp in a bowl, and sprinkle in the Sazon, garlic powder, and pepper. Toss the shrimp to fully coat it with the seasoning mixture. 

Place one shrimp at a time, into the preheated olive oil. Cook for 2 minutes, and flip it over then cook for another two minutes. 

Pour the sofrito mixture directly into the skillet and mix it together with the shrimp. Simmer for one minute, then drizzle in the heavy cream. 

Finally, mix the cream in with the sofrito and shrimp, simmer for 1-2 minutes, and serve the shrimp and sauce right along with the mofongo.

Alternatives and Variations:

• Chicken Mofongo: Instead of shrimp, serve mofongo with stewed chicken.
• Vegetarian Mofongo Recipe: For a meatless mofongo, simply omit the pork cracklings and skip the shrimp. (The sauce would still be a delicious addition.)
• Mofongo con Carne Frita: Serve fried pork chunks on top of the mofongo.
• Pork Crackling: You can use bacon bits instead of pork rinds if necessary.

Pro-Tips:

• Do not substitute green plantains because they are essential. Yellow plantains are too sweet and soft for this mofongo recipe.
• If the mofongo is too dry, it will not stick together so add olive oil if you have issues while forming the mofongo balls.
• Eat immediately after making it because mofongo tends to dry out and get crumbly as it sits.

Storing and Reheating:

Store leftovers from this mofongo recipe in an airtight container for up to 3 days. To reheat mofongo, warm it up on the stove over medium-low heat. You can add olive oil, broth, or water to moisten it.

FAQ:

Can mofongo be made ahead of time?

No. Mofongo dries out easily so serve it as soon as it is ready.

Is mofongo Dominican or Puerto Rican?

Mofongo is a popular Caribbean dish that has African roots. Both The Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico have popular variations.

What is mofongo called in English?

There is no English name for mofongo.

📖 Recipe

Be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook when you make this recipe! I would love to see your creation, and give you a shoutout!